Doesn’t every dog owner think their dog is the smartest one on the block? Okay, game on. It’s time to put that to the test with these fun pet strategy activity toys.

I’ll admit, there are times when I look at how many toys are in my dog’s toy basket and I feel a little bit embarrassed about how much we spoil him. But I know there are many times when he needs to be home alone, so it’s important to provide him with things that will keep his mind stimulated and thereby decrease his stress level.

It’s a pretty simple concept for both pets and humans that lack of mental stimulation and boredom often lead to developing bad nervous habits, depression and can ultimately result as stress.

So with that idea in mind, I was excited to discover some challenging pet toys that are a total depart from the typical furry squirrel squeaker toy that can drive you crazy after about 5 minutes. Most of these products are more like games rather than toys, but either way, they’ll keep your pet engaged, occupied and happy.

I’ll start you off with this Gambling Tower Dog Activity Game that’s designed for the beginning canine gamer. The way it works is you place treats on each one of the shelves and your dog will learn to tug on the attached loops, which causes the treats to tumble out the bottom. There are also three external cones that need to be lifted straight up in order for the rewards to be eaten. It’s dishwasher safe, so if can be washed and it comes with an instruction book that will give you other tips for training dogs of all ages.

Image: wayfair.com

This Pet Flip Board is rated as a Level 2 product, which means it’s designed for an intermediate canine player. Some of the reviews I read about it also commented that it’s a great device to use if you have a pet who eats their food too quickly. Since it uses food as the motivator for figuring out how to move the disks and knobs, it will slow down your pets eating habits, as they have to figure out how to move the pieces in order to get their food. As your dog learns more about how it works, you can vary the number and placement of treats to increase the level of difficulty.

Image: amazon.com

And last, but not least, is the Snack Spinner, which is the most challenging game of all and is designed for the more advanced canine gamer. While it appears relatively simple, playing this game actually requires patience, precision and rhythm. The way it works is you place the treats in the upper section and then your dog must work to get the treats through the divider by correctly rocking and spinning the toy. After the treats have dropped into the lower section of the toy, then your dog must work with patience and precision to figure out how to release the treats through the small hole at the base. This toy is also dishwasher safe and considered to be a Level 3 of difficulty, so if your dog can conquer this one, he’ll rule the neighborhood on the Dog Mensa scale.